, 1887-08-06
DECISION IN NEW YORK AS TO
ASSISTED IMMIGRANTS.

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The Irish immigrants who came to this
country on the City of Chester, of the In
man Line, June 4, and were detained by
the Commissioner Of Emigration on the
ground taat their passage was paid by the
British Government and that consequently
they could not be permitted to land any
whore in the United States and must be re-
TUNED to Ireland, trooped into the United
States Distric Court, in the Post Office
Building, yesterday, to have their rights
finally settled by Judge Brown. There were
II persons SO detained, but only the men and
women of the families came into the court.
There were 13 ofthem, and they were brought
down from Wards Island by officers. Back
on the rear benches of the court room they
SIT in awe and trembling. One bIack-haired
woman bowed her head III her hand and
seemed to be praying that she might be al
lowed to stay in America. A young man
from Massachusetts, kept near his mother
and looked as if he would spring at any one
who would try to take her from him. He had
come down from q farm to take her to his
home.
Mr.. Ward, of Biddle & Ward, appeared
for the Inman Steamship Line, and thus in
directly for the immigrants. Mr.. Rowley,
of Mcmahon & Rowley, was there for the
Emigration commissioners The matter came
up on the application Of Thady O'Sulivan
AMI others for a writ Of habeas corpus for
relief from the decision of the Commissioners
not to permit the several families to land.
Some papers were handed up to Judge Brown
and the lawyers ~wrang'ed for a long time
about writs of habeas corpus and rel urns and
answers and the method Of traverse, while
the poor immigrants on the back benches
looled on, b~eloY5el and perplexed by the
technioalitles.
Mr.. Ward contended that none of the de-
tanned persons were feeble, sick, old, or una
bic to take care of themselves that they are
all bound to destinations in the interior,
where they have means to 60 and where they
have friends or relatives who expect them,
and who in most cases have actually proyi-
ded employment for them, and who in some
cases are able to give good security that they
shall not become q public charge; that the
Secretary of the Treasury has instructed the
Commissioners Of Emigration to accept secu-
rity, but the Commissioners have declined to
do 50. 1t was also argued that the sole
ground for OBTAINING the Immigrants was that
their fares from Ireland had been paid by the
British Government, and that no other sub
ject than. this had been discussed by the
board at the meeting on June 9, when it was
determined that the families should not be
allowed to land. Mr., Ward also said that
the action of the board was inconsistent with
the views Of Secretary Bayard, who, in a
letter to Minister West, May 20, 1887, said
FtThe provisions. of law look to the actual
condition. Of each person, and are impartial
IN their Operation" g sao R
Mr., Rowley answered that the Board of
Commissioners was vested with judicial
power, and that its decision in such cases was
final. Having made it and recordedsit it's
action. ought to stand. Mr.. Ward objected
to this on Che ground that the commissioners
ba1 ,ot fo,,oJ ~ f,rn;oba1 o0x, ooko ~ xrovo